Gerashchenko opposed to creating Crimean Tatar battalion

At a June 7 news conference, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said he saw no point in creating a Crimean Tatar battalion named after Noman Çelebicihan.

According to him, Crimean Tatars should serve in either the Ukrainian Armed Forces, or the National Guard or police.

This position is shared by freelance advisor to the Interior Minister Anton Gerashchenko, who says that it makes no sense to create a Crimean Tatar battalion.

"I support the Minister’s position. We have a multi-ethnic state and there should not be any divisions based on ethnic or religious grounds. We respect the right of every nationality, every culture and every language. Therefore, it makes no sense to create ethnic and religious divisions,” Geraschenko told QHA.

Just a reminder: On December 2, 2015, instigators of the civil blockade of Crimea initiated the creation of a first Crimean Tatar battalion named after Noman Çelebicihan. Back then, Lenur Islyamov, Crimea blockade coordinator, mentioned the importance of the battalion having a Crimean number. According to him, many Ukrainian servicemen left their units in Crimea after the annexation and moved to mainland Ukraine, which is why it is important ‘to restore the honor and name of Crimean military units’.